1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ring binder assembly, and more particularly, to a fastener assembly for releasably fastening a sheet retaining apparatus to a binder cover to form the ring binder.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various ring binders are known in the art which have a paper retaining device attached to a cover member by a plurality of rivets which extend through the cover member and which are deformed, for example, by punching, to securely and permanently fix the paper retaining device to the cover member.
A disadvantage associated with such conventional ring binders is that the assembling process is both laborious and prone to error. It is necessary to provide the assemblers with rivets properly sized and shaped to fit both of the corresponding holes in the paper retaining device and the cover member. The assemblers must secure the paper retaining device to the cover member by first inserting the rivet through the cover member, then through the paper retaining device, and then deforming the tail of the rivet by punching to engage the upper plate of the paper retaining device.
A further disadvantage associated with the conventional ring device is that once the paper retaining device is assembled with the cover member, it cannot be readily removed to replace the paper retaining device or the cover member in the event of failure thereof.
A still further disadvantage associated with the conventional ring binder is that the conventional ring binder is typically shipped in the assembled condition, which takes up enormous space in the packaging thereof, resulting in higher shipping costs.